PSYC 3403 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Substance Abuse, Therapeutic Community, Harm Reduction
31 Aug 2016
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John"s bias - traditionally, the perspective on substance abuse treatment in corrections was one that was very judgmental and moralistic. It was an authoritarian approach that used many methods include; confrontation, dismissive, non-empirical and medication free (if you have a disorder, you cannot be a part since you"re technically using a drug). The image that was put upon offenders was that substance abuse was a chronic, progressive illness with an emphases on therapeutic community and 12-step program. There was a belief that all offenders have a severe problem and are in a state of denial. Often offenders are either dismissed or turned away because they are using. This is a horrible point of view that does not help offenders! Data confirms that between 70-80% of offenders have substance abuse problems. Half recognize that their abuse is somehow related to their criminal acts. Alcohol is often the number one drug that offenders were under the influence while committing a crime.
